INDY Car driver Scott Brayton was killed yesterday in a crash during an Indy 500 practice session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Brayton (37) was pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis shortly after the accident. A member of Brayton's crew said onboard, computerised telemetry measured Brayton's speed at 235 mph at the time of the crash.

Early reports said a blowout in the right rear tyre of his backup Menard Lola may have precipitated the crash, but speedway officials said that had not been proved.

The early official report cited only some sort of equipment failure during turn two." Brayton, on pole for the second successive year, spun and crashed into the wall at turn two.

Brayton was the first pole position qualifier killed at Indianapolis. He was the 40th driver to die at the speedway and the 25th killed during qualifying practice. The last driver to die at the speedway was Jovy Marcelo in 1992.